Tianjin Medical Journal ›› 2023, Vol. 51 ›› Issue (2): 155-159.doi: 10.11958/20220420

• Experimental Research • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of glycyrrhizin on myocardial HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway in chronic kidney disease rats

ZHANG Xue(), WANG Jiarui, CHEN Kangyin()   

  1. Tianjin Key Laboratory Ionic-Molecular Function of Cardiovascular Disease, Department of Cardiology, the Second Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin Institute of Cardiology, Tianjin 300211, China
  • Received:2022-03-20 Revised:2022-08-01 Published:2023-02-15 Online:2023-02-24
  • Contact: E-mail:chenkangyin@vip.126.com

Abstract:

Objective To investigate the effect of glycyrrhizin (Gly) treatment on high mobility group protein B1/ Toll-like receptor 4/ nuclear factor κB/ hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α) signaling pathway on ventricular muscle of chronic kidney disease (CKD) rats. Methods A total of 38 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: the sham operation (Sham) group, the Sham+ Gly group, the CKD group and the CKD+ Gly group. CKD model was prepared by nephrectomy in 5/6, and Gly was intraperitoneally injected (80 mg/kg). Four weeks later, hemodynamics and color doppler echocardiography were performed to observe the heart function of rats in each group. Ventricular blood sampling was used to detect biochemical indexes. The expression levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB and HIF-1α in myocardium were compared. Results Compared with the Sham group, creatinine, uric acid, urea nitrogen and serum magnesium were increased in the CKD group (P<0.05), blood pressure was also increased (P<0.05). Besides, its diastolic ventricular septal thickness, left ventricular end-systolic diameter were increased, left ventricular ejection fraction decreased, E/A peak decreased and pulmonary artery acceleration time was prolonged (P<0.05). HE staining showed hypertrophy of myocardial cells, and Masson staining showed increased degree of myocardial fibrosis (P<0.05). The expression levels of HMGB1, NF-κB and HIF-1α in myocardial tissue were up-regulated (P<0.05). Compared with the CKD group, rats in the CKD+Gly group showed increased ventricular septal thickness, left ventricular ejection fraction and E/A ratio (P<0.05). HE staining showed that the hypertrophy of myocardial cells was improved, and the degree of myocardial fibrosis decreased (P<0.05). The expression levels of HMGB1, NF-κB and HIF-1α in myocardium were down-regulated (P<0.05). Conclusion CKD can affect cardiac function and aggravate myocardial fibrosis in rats. Glycyrrhizin can improve the degree of myocardial fibrosis in rats with CKD, and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway.

Key words: glycyrrhizic acid, rats, Wistar, chronic kidney disease, myocardial fibrosis, HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB/HIF-1α signaling pathway

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